Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: My friend is a newly graduated nurse working at a medical clinic in a state-owned enterprise. Last year, she administered an intramuscular injection to a one-year-old child. At the time, there were no symptoms, just a lump. The parents were very concerned and had it checked, but nothing was found. The lump also disappeared later. Last month, the child started walking with a high-low gait, and the parents took him to get checked several times, but nothing was found. Later, they went to a neurology department and learned that the injection site was slightly off, damaging a small nerve. Is there any major issue?Doctor's answer:
Nowadays, it is generally not recommended to administer intramuscular injections in the buttocks because the sciatic nerve passes through the area, making it easy to be injured after injection. If your child is limping after getting a shot, it could be due to local injury or significant local pain. You can apply heat to the injection site, reduce walking, and monitor the changes closely. Prompt treatment is usually sufficient, and it is unlikely to leave any long-term sequelae.